This invention relates generally to cargo carriers and more specifically to carriers which are mounted at the rear of a vehicle such as a car or truck. The carrier is supported by arms which engage tow eyes at the rear of the vehicle. These arms cantilever rearward to support a cargo enclosure, platform, rack or other cargo carrier.
The prior art provides many options for transporting objects when storage space within a vehicle is not adequate or appropriate. Roof top carriers, trailers, cargo carriers attached to hitches, and carriers attached to either vehicle bumpers or vehicle channel members are all well known. Each of these have limitations which are overcome by embodiments shown below of the present invention.
Roof top carriers significantly reduce the aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle. Trailers are generally heavy; a significant number of vehicles' warranties are voided if the driver tows a trailer. Cargo carriers attached to hitches may require the purchase and installation of a hitch and are subject to large moments about the hitch which necessitate a heavy structure which increases carrier cost and detracts from vehicle mileage and carrier payload. Carriers attached to vehicle bumpers (Carlson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,716) require structure no longer found on most vehicles. Some carriers (Godin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,662) require conveniently-located vehicle channel members for their attachment, members not available in most vehicles, and also require formation of an aperture in these channel members.
Given these limitations, there is a need for a more efficient carrier which is lightweight, which saves fuel, which is easy to attach, and which is inexpensive to manufacture.
The below list summarizes the reference numbers and associated elements shown in the above drawings:    10 cargo carrier    11 cargo enclosure    12 carriage bolt    13 pin and clip assembly    14 drawer lock    15 rigid panel    18 hinge    19 gasket    20 flush fit handle    21 wood corner brace    22 cantilever arm assembly    22′ cantilever arm assembly    23 lift support    26 outboard cantilever arm    26′ outboard cantilever arm    27 bearing plate    27′ bearing plate    28 primary bolt    29 high strength bearing bolt    30 leg    31 bottom exterior sheathing    32 flexible bumper    33 sacrificial adapter    34 spacer    35 tow eye    36 red reflector    37 amber reflector    39 cantilever arm primary hole    40 fender washer    41 bushing    41′ lightweight bushing    42 bushing retaining nut    43 concave washer    44 stop nut    45 adjustment screw    46 adjustment nut    47 weld    47′ weld    48 locking nut    49 bearing plate retainer    50 tow eye hole    51 fender washer    52 mandrel half    53 mandrel bolt    54 mandrel nut    55 primary nut    56 cargo platform assembly    57 cargo rack assembly    58 tumbuckle assembly    59 washer    60 top wall    61 bottom wall    62 encircling side wall    63 inboard cantilever arm    63′ inboard cantilever arm    64 pin and locking end assembly    65 strike plate    66 leg assembly